Mayor says he will seek 3rd term

Updated 10:38 pm, Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Mayor Julián Castro announced via YouTube video Wednesday that he plans to seek re-election to a third term in office and will announce as much at an event set for Feb. 2.

The 57-second video was shot last week in front of City Hall — before the mayor traveled to Washington for President Barack Obama's inauguration.

Sources confirmed Castro met with the president Tuesday.

In the video, which had about 100 views by Wednesday afternoon, Castro briefly discusses his vision for the Alamo City. First elected to the position in 2009, he's about four months away from completing his second term as the city's top leader. He's eligible to serve two more terms.

“There are exciting things that are happening right now in San Antonio, and every single day that I've been mayor, I've enjoyed coming to work to pursue a vision of becoming a brainpower community that is the liveliest city in the United States,” he said, “one that is economically prosperous with well-educated folks throughout our city and a place that all of us are proud to call home.”

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San Antonio is an exciting city that people both enjoy living in and visiting, he said.

“There's still a lot of work to do,” Castro says. “And that's why, on Feb. 2, I'm announcing my bid for re-election for mayor in 2013.”

He's expected to use the mixed-use development along Broadway, near downtown, as the backdrop to his public event.

In the video, Castro directs supporters to his Facebook page or mayorjuliancastro.com for more information about the details of the Feb. 2 announcement.

The mayor was traveling Wednesday to India and was unavailable for comment.

Castro, 38, is the first mayor to be elected under the city's relaxed term limits, which now allow four two-year terms. He could potentially run again for re-election in 2015.

The trajectory of Castro's political career has steepened in the past several months with his debut on the national stage in September, when he made the keynote address on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention.

Since then, he's become the focus of national media, and touted as a rising star in the Democratic Party.

Elections for mayor and the council will be May 11. No viable opponents have surfaced yet to challenge Castro.